Inspiring new AR mural brings public and digital realms alive with colour
In an exciting twist on the standard, wall-bound mural, a new activation on Cape Town’s popular Sea Point promenade has become a dynamic, immersive artwork. Capetonian designer, artist, and illustrator, Tonton – aka Maximillian Goldin – has created a new piece that interacts with its viewers with the help of AugmentedCities.co: Scanning the mural with a smartphone will animate it and additional information will pop up on screen. The extraordinary mural forms part of an initiative supported by coatings brand, Plascon that aims to bring colour to public spaces.
Tonton is managed by SJ Artists, and his work is centred around play, nature and imagination. His designs are distinctively colourful and expressive – a perfect fit for the project’s aim to inspire through colour and creativity. The mural has been painted in a spectrum of colourful paints provided by Plascon. Tonton opted for the superior water-based quality acrylic emulsion, Plascon Super Acrylic Polvin to bring his vision to life. Specially formulated for strength and durability on both interiors and exteriors, with a stain resistant and easy to clean smooth matt finish, Plascon Super Acrylic Polvin tint bases provide an abundance of colour tinting options for long lasting, rich colours, making it the perfect choice for an outdoor mural project such as this.
“The idea of this mural, titled Seaside Circus, was to create a playful and relevant piece of art which enriches the environment and brings smiles to all people, young and old, who see the artwork while strolling on the prom or driving by in their car,” the artist explains.
The Sea Point Promenade, fondly known as “the prom”, is a much-loved open-air space that is used by people from across the city and from all walks of life. In recent years it has also become a place of artistic expression and exhibition. With permission from the city authorities, the exterior of the Sea Point Promenade restroom has had its exterior uplifted and amplified by Tonton’s work. The colourful mural was completed in June 2021 and depicts Tonton’s unique visual language.
“This is one of my signature styles – world building with the use of colour and shape to create abstract characters and balance them in an unexpected way,” he states. “I’m so excited to bring this piece to life, with the help from Johan from Augmented cities who has worked his magic and created a VR activation for the artwork. This brings it to life in a digital space with 3D and animation. A first for the prom!”
AugmentedCities.co uses technology to bring immersive experiences of city murals, art galleries, performing arts and museums to everyone with a smart device. “Combining art with tech creates something special. We’re excited about the creative opportunities we can unlock with Augmented Reality to bring this mural to life,” says Johan Walters, Producer at AugmentedCities.co.
Augmenting the mural means that it can be experienced by anyone, anywhere. According to Suvasin Moodley, Head of Decorative Marketing at Plascon: “We are thrilled with the outcome and would like to thank SJ Artists, the artist Tonton and all involved in the project for this amazing expression of homegrown talent. We hope that members of the public love this new addition to the ‘prom’ as much as we do.”
